Bill Skate

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Sir William Jack Skate

Skate became manager of the capital district commission in 1987. He was elected to parliament in 1992 and served as speaker from 1992 to 1994, supporting the government of Paias Wingti.^{[citation needed]}

Skate served as governor of the National Capital District from 1995 to 1997. He was prime minister from 1997 to 1999 and resigned after 18 months, fearing that he would lose a challenge. He was appointed

On 3 March 2004, Skate was suspended as acting governor-general because of allegations that he misappropriated funds during the 1990s. He then advised the Prime Minister to appoint a cabinet minister as acting governor-general. The following day, however, he was cleared of the financial charges in court, and he became acting governor-general again. In May 2004, his party left the coalition when he and other members refused to support a constitutional amendment supported by Somare which would have given the government more time to be immune to no-confidence votes. As a result, the PNC became the largest opposition party.^[citation needed]

On 28 May 2004, Skate ceased to be Speaker when the parliament elected a pro-government candidate, Jeffery Nape. The office of governor-general was still vacant at that stage, so Nape automatically succeeded Skate as acting governor-general.^{[citation needed]}

Bill Skate was knighted in January 2005 for services to parliament, becoming Sir William Skate.^{[citation needed]}

He died in hospital on 3 January 2006, in Brisbane, Australia,^[1] where he had been airlifted after suffering a stroke in late December 2005 which was probably an effect of chronic alcoholism. He was buried in Port Moresby.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• List of members of the Papua New Guinean Parliament who died in office
•  New Guinea portal

References

External links

• Pacific Magazine: Former Prime Minister Sir William Skate Dies At 52
• Pacific Magazine: Former PM Sir Bill Skate Laid To Rest
• Pacific Magazine: Public Holiday Declared For Sir Skate’s Funeral^{[permanent dead link]}
• Pacific Magazine: Sir Bill Skate Ailing, Medivacked To Queensland Hospital^{[permanent dead link]}